The present invention relates to appliances with electrical cords. Specifically, the present invention relates to appliances with magnetically coupled electrical cords.
Many modern appliances such as kitchen appliances are electrically powered. Typically, electrical appliances are connected to a power outlet by means of a power cord. The appliances define a plug socket for receiving a removable plug at one end of the power cord. Preferably, the removable plugs are quickly and easily detachable and yet still maintain a reliable electrical connection when coupled to the appliance. There is a need for quick-releasing power cord plugs which reduce the amount of force necessary to detach the cord from the appliance when the cord is subjected to a pulling force. Moreover, the pulling force may be directed in a variety of directions. The plug and socket arrangement, therefore, preferably will be quick-releasing when the cord is pulled away from the appliance in different directions. Accordingly, improvements in constructing a quick-release cord assembly for appliances are desired.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a plug assembly having a plug body and a socket body for receiving the plug body. Either the plug body or the socket body may include first and second contact posts, and the other may include corresponding first and second contacts spaced to electrically connect to the contact post when the plug body is coupled to the socket body along a coupling axis. The socket body includes outwardly diverging sidewalls. One of the plug body or the socket body includes a magnet, and the other includes an attractive member which, due to the attraction of the magnet, removably couples the plug body to the socket body. The cord is received by the plug body through an opening in the plug body. The opening receives the cord from a direction which is at an angle relative to the coupling axis when the plug body is coupled to the socket body.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a quick-release plug assembly including an appliance defining a connection location for coupling a plug body of a cord to the appliance. Either the connection location or the plug body includes first and second contact posts, and the other defines corresponding first and second contacts spaced to connect to the contact posts when the plug body is coupled to the connection location of the appliance. Either the connection location or the plug body includes a magnet, and the other includes an attraction member so that a magnetic force between the magnet and the attraction member couples the plug body to the connection location of the appliance. The connection location further includes a ridge, the ridge being located so that when the plug body is coupled to the connection location the ridge contacts a front surface of the plug body at a point spaced inwardly from side surfaces of the plug body and thereby provides a fulcrum about which the plug body may pivot to remove the plug body from the connection location.
An additional aspect of the present invention relates to an appliance and cord assembly having a magnetic plug body wherein the appliance defines a connection location for coupling the appliance to the magnetic plug body of the cord, and at least one base pad which supports the appliance. The base pad extends downward from a bottom of the appliance. The appliance also includes a base skirt located toward an outside of the appliance relative to the base pad. The skirt extends downwardly only a portion of the height of the base pad.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to an electrical cord plug assembly for a cord having two conductive leads. The assembly includes a plug body having first and second opposed housing members. The first and second housing members are coupled to each other by a fastener. The first and second housing members together define lead paths which receive the conductive leads of the cord. The lead paths lie in a common plane. The first and second housing members also define a cord channel in communication with the lead paths for receiving the cord. The cord channel is positioned at an angle relative to the plane of the lead paths. The assembly also includes a magnet disposed between the first and second housing members, first and second extension arms positioned along opposite sides of the magnet, the extension arms extending from inside the plug body to outside the plug body through slots defined by a front surface of the plug body, and two conducting contacts positioned between the first and second housing members, the contacts being electrically connected to the conductive leads of the cord, the contacts being accessible through first and second contact apertures defined by the front surface of the plug body.
The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The figures and the detailed description which follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments.